Buck Swash and the Idol of Tak'Mahud

Buck Swash and the Idol of Tak'Mahud is perhaps the best game I've played this year. An absolutely uncompromising, hardcore retro platformer that harks back to the genre classics – the Pitfall platformer series, which undoubtedly served as one of the main sources of inspiration for the creator of this wonderful indie game. Pros: + Excellent gameplay that pays homage to old-school platformers + Gripping Indiana Jones-style adventure atmosphere + Highly challenging, which, especially in the later levels, makes you want to throw the gamepad at the wall, cover yourself with a blanket, and cry 😄 + Good character animation + Good music + No bugs + Reasonable price Cons: - Poorly chosen narrative method: the characters' dialogue in speech bubbles, like in comic books, distracts from the gameplay. They're awkward, and in most cases, there's simply no time to read them. It would have been much better if the author had opted for story-driven cutscenes. - The puzzles are too easy. - A strange decision: before moving to the next level, a map appears where you have to move to a new location manually (!). Before doing so, you have to confirm that you really want to move to the next level and abandon the checkpoint on the previous one. It's unclear why automatic transition to the next level wasn't implemented. - The character clings to the edges of platforms, but there are platforms for which this rule doesn't apply. However, they look no different from the others. Conclusion: The game isn't perfect, but for a debut project by a solo developer, the result is simply magnificent. Highly recommended for all fans of retro-style games who aren't used to backing down from a challenge and enjoy pain 😄